Towel-dispensing cabinet



April J. M. HOTHERSALL 1,754,467

TOWEL DISPENSING CABINET Filed Jan. 24, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1930' J. M. HOTHERSALL 1,754,467

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Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED? STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN HOTHERSALL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN 9 COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW-1 JERSEY TOWEL-DISPENSING CABINET Application filed. January 24, 1927. Serial No. 162,952.

This invention relates in general to towel dispensingcabinets and the like, and has for is becoming exhausted,and dust, germs and the like enter through these slots and accumulate at the juncture of the bottom and side walls of the box.

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.My invention contemplates the construction of the box in such manner that the withdrawalofthetowels will sweep these corners and remove the dust and accumulations as fast as they are deposited.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of a towel dispensing cabinet of increased strength and made of lighter material than has heretofore been considered practicable.

Still another important object is the provision of a cabinet wherein the towels may be removed with greater facility. In this connection, it is to be understood that paper towels are ordinarily of rough surface texture, and that the weight of a full charge in a cabinet produces considerable resistance to the sliding movement of the rough towel surface beneath the pile as the towel is withdrawn. When these towels are desired by the user, the hands are wet and moisture is communicated to the paper, it is important that their withdrawal be facilitated in order that the pull on them may not tear them.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, disclose a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a towel bers Hand 12.

wall of the receptacle.

dispensing cabinet involving my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the slot; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections taken respective' ly on lines and 5-5 in Fig. 3.

The towel dispensing cabinet disclosed on the drawings for the purpose of disclosing my present invention comprises, generally, two end walls 13, side wall sheets 11 and 12, and the door is. The end walls are ofthe generally rectangular shape shown on the drawings, and are provided with rounded corners, the purposes of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth. These end walls are secured to the side wall sheets 11 and 12 by double seams formed of shoulders 22 about the periphery of the ends and conjointly curled or seamed edges 23 of the end walls 18 and sheet 11 and 12. The wall member 11 is extended beneath the door opening beyond its seam engagement with the ends to provide hinge pint-le engaging lugs 18, the material of'the edge being appropriately cut to give this formation. i i

' The sheet 11 beneath the hinge extends in rounded configuration to adjacent a slot 16 through which the towels may be withdrawn. This lot is formed at the bottom between adjacent edges of the wall sheet mem- These adjacent edgesare cut back so that they are not included in the double seam, and are bent upwardly and then around reversely to provide the cylindrical or curved antifriction slot edge shown in Figure 2. i

The sheet member 12 extends from the slot 16 to the back of the cabinet and thence upwardly and over to form the back and top It terminates above the door openingin a downwardly extending part curled to provide a rounded edge 21.

The edges of the sheet members 11 and 12 are interrupted between the slot edges and the back and front of the receptacle, respectively, for the purpose of providing portions of the sheet members at these localities which are not included in the double seam. These portions are bent upwardly to provide the rounded antifriction bearings or ribs 31, these rids extending up to substantially the height of the curled edges 15 at the slot. Thus constructed, a four line bearing is provided for the towel by the receptacle. These rounded edges and these rounded protuberances or ribs 31 are preferably of shiny uncoated metal on the faces they present for m the support of the pile, so that four rounded antifriction supports for the pile are provided.

The pile of sheets is indicated at 32 and consists of sheets oppositely folded at 34 and 15 35 and interlaced, so that each sheet must be unfolded it is pulled through the slot and carries with it the end of the next adjacent sheet. The width of the pile ispreferably such as to fit easily within the receptacle and so that the folds 34 and 35 are arranged above the lower part of the curved surfaces at the corner edges of the receptacle. Thus constructed, the pull on the lowermost sheet first directs its fold downwardly and into engagement with the adjacent curved surface. Continuation of the pull drags this fold across the bottom of the box, sweeping from the corners any matter that may there have accumulated. Because of the fibrous chara acter of the sheets, the material thus swept out is picked up by the sheet and carried on out of the box. The removal of the dust, etc., as each sheet is withdrawn, precludes such accumulation as would soil the sheets in It the removal.

The door member 1a is provided at this lower edge with pintle engaging extensions 19 adapted to alternate with the pintle engaging members 18 of the wall sheet 11 and a.

pintle 17 extends through these members. The parts are so constructed and arranged that the curl 23 at each end extends across theends of the pintle and prevents endwise movement thereof. The end walls at the 5 front are subjected to the double seaming rolls so that the seam appears continuous about the box. The construction, however, arranges the shoulders 24 behind the end edges of the door 14 so that they act as stops 0 for the door member at the ends. The door is preferably folded back upon itself at the top to close against the adjacent end of the wall member 12 and a rim lock 25 is or may be provided to lock the receptacle closed.

Reference character 27 indicates the usual end slots for observing the condition of the pile of sheetswithin the container.

The rounded longitudinal edges of the receptacle and the double seam connection an between the wall sheets and the ends permit a. piculiarly rigid structure of light metal It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be under- 06 stood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for folded sheets of paper and the like, which are superimposed one on the other in. a gravitating pile, with their folds arranged at the opposite sides of said pile, comprising, an enclosing receptacle of sheet metal formed of substantially rectangular end members and side wall portions double seamed to said end members, the'edges of the bottom portions being cut away to leave interruptions in said double seam, the material of said bottom wall portions at said interruptions being bent inwardly of the receptacle in curved form to provide support for said pile.

2. A dispenser for folded sheets of paper and the like, which are superimposed one on the other in a gravitating pile, with their folds arranged at the opposite sides of said pile, comprising, an enclosing receptacle of sheet metal and formed of substantially rectangular end and side wall members secured together by double seams, the adjacent edges of the bottom parts of said Wall mem bers being cut back to interrupt said double seams, and the edges of said side wall members at said interruption being curled upon themselves to provide a slot defined by ele- Vated curved surfaces.

JOHN M. HOTHERSALL. 

